Downtown thriving with big changes to Arkansas Arts Center

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - The auditorium where Children's Theater has enthralled thousands of Arkansas children will be packed and ready for another big production.

What's it all about? To fully understand, you have to take a step back and look at downtown Little Rock with fresh eyes, and you realize how far we've come.

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Streetcars run-down streets that 30 years ago were in rundown neighborhoods. The River Market started it all 21 years ago and shows no signs of slowing down.

“It's blowing Little Rock up, you know. It's producing good money for the place,” said one man.

But it was when the Clinton Library opened that growth accelerated, spurred on by tourism that allows volunteers to travel to faraway places without ever leaving home.

“I see people from all over the world. That's the part I like about it,” said another woman.

That library led to other libraries. Theater pedestrian bridges, and points of inspiration. The Vogel Schwartz sculpture garden at the riverfront, with more than 75 pieces on permanent display.

Now, the renaissance is making its way up Main Street. My, oh my, how downtown has changed.

Makes you wonder if there's another space in downtown, you know, big and sprawling with a makeover could change everything or maybe some institution with a little investment could add more creative energy to downtown to put it over the top.